Goserelin Protects Ovarian Function During Breast Cancer Chemotherapy

Halle C.F. Moore, M.D. Cleveland Clinic Foundation Taussig Cancer Institute Cleveland, OH 44195MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Halle C.F. Moore, M.D.
Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Taussig Cancer Institute
Cleveland, OH 44195

Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?

Dr. Moore: Ovarian failure is a common long-term side effect of chemotherapy. Previous studies investigating whether suppressing ovarian function during chemotherapy treatment will preserve ovarian function following chemotherapy have had mixed results. Our study found that suppressing the ovaries with the GnRH analog goserelin during chemotherapy treatment for early stage ER-negative breast cancer resulted in a reduced risk of ovarian failure two years after initiation of treatment.

Also, more women who received the goserelin with chemotherapy became pregnant than women who received chemotherapy without goserelin.

In addition, there was an apparent improvement in survival among the goserelin group, confirming the safety of this approach in this patient population.

Medical Research: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?

Dr. Moore: Clinicians and patients should be aware that there is a new option for reducing the risk of premature ovarian failure in women requiring cyclophosphamide-based chemotherapy.

Medical Research: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Dr. Moore: I would like to see this approach investigated in other types of cancer treated with different chemotherapy regimens.

In addition, more research is required to establish whether there is a therapeutic role for the use of GnRH analogs in the treatment of hormone receptor-negative breast cancer, given the favorable survival outcomes we observed.

Dr. Moore:

Goserelin for Ovarian Protection during Breast-Cancer Adjuvant Chemotherapy

Halle C.F. Moore, M.D., Joseph M. Unger, Ph.D., Kelly-Anne Phillips, M.D., Frances Boyle, M.B., B.S., Ph.D., Erika Hitre, M.D., David Porter, M.D., Prudence A. Francis, M.D., Lori J. Goldstein, M.D., Henry L. Gomez, M.D., Carlos S. Vallejos, M.D., Ann H. Partridge, M.D., M.P.H., Shaker R. Dakhil, M.D., Agustin A. Garcia, M.D., Julie Gralow, M.D., Janine M. Lombard, M.D., John F. Forbes, M.B., B.S., Silvana Martino, D.O., William E. Barlow, Ph.D., Carol J. Fabian, M.D., Lori Minasian, M.D., Frank L. Meyskens, Jr., M.D., Richard D. Gelber, Ph.D., Gabriel N. Hortobagyi, M.D., and Kathy S. Albain, M.D. for the POEMS/S0230 Investigators

N Engl J Med 2015; 372:923-932

March 5, 2015
DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1413204

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:,Halle C.F. Moore, M.D.,  Cleveland Clinic Foundation (2015). Goserelin Protects Ovarian Function During Breast Cancer Chemotherapy 

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Last Updated on March 4, 2015 by Marie Benz MD FAAD